San Diego News

Washington, DC - In recognition of the tremendous contributions that America’s diaspora communities make toward the development of their countries of heritage, the Special Representative for Global Partnerships, Andrew O’Brien, will lead a Diaspora Tour that will take Washington on the road.

This Tour builds on the International diaspora Engagement Alliance (IdEA) partnership launched in 2011 by the Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships (S/GP) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The Tour will kick off today at the Africa in Action Diaspora Conference in London, UK and will also include the following confirmed locations:

The U.S. Conference of Mayors in Dallas, Texas: June 21, 2014

Sister Cities International Conference in San Jose, California: August 1, 2014

The University of Florida: September 10, 2014

North Carolina State University: September 11, 2014

The Diaspora Tour events will feature keynote addresses and panel discussions with leading diaspora experts. Participants will include students and university faculty, university officials with an affinity for international development, private sector partners, diaspora community leaders, and local government and civic leaders. Additional Tour locations and dates are forthcoming. These regional events will culminate in a Global Diaspora Week October 12-18, 2014.

For the past three years, the Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships and USAID have co-hosted an IdEA Forum in Washington, D.C. where prominent members of global diaspora communities convene to uncover new ways of collaborating around innovation, entrepreneurship and youth-focused engagements. The Tour is in response to the strong interest S/GP has received from diaspora communities across the United States to host events in their own cities and communities.

IdEA engages diaspora communities to further the reach of their resources to strengthen development and diplomacy outcomes in their countries or regions of affinity. With over 62 million first and second-generation immigrants currently in the United States, these groups are powerful tools to connect and strengthen our global community.